Hola from Spain! I have officially completed my second (technically first) day of work (yesterday was more of an orientation and getting the hang of their system/what I should expect to do), and I couldn’t be more excited for what I can learn from this experience. Some updates of what has happened over the last 3 days since arriving early Saturday morning: first, as I was in the process of moving into my apartment officially, I had the chance to hang out with Belmont’s study abroad program that is happening right now in Valladolid! They were in Madrid for the weekend, so I was able to reconnect with friends and professors. I was incredibly grateful to see them again post graduation, and plan on visiting them one more time before they leave this month.

Second, it is SO hot here. The heat has been keeping me sweaty everywhere I go, and it’s crazy to hear that this isn’t even as hot as Madrid can get during the summer. There are many people here on vacation touring from all over the world, and there seems to be a consistent trend of sun hats and umbrellas to keep the sun out of their faces. However, I can’t complain because, overall, the weather has been sunny with little to no clouds. It does make it a bit dry, but I would take dry than sticky and humid any day!

Third, my roommates moved in Sunday, and I was able to hang out with them during different points in time as each was arriving. That night was Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open finals match and because the TV in our room wasn’t working at the time, one of my roommates and I went to a nearby bar to watch the game! The environment was electric with many people from all over the world coming in to support Carlos’ win against Jannik Sinner. Then, shortly after, the UEFA Nations League final played where Portugal and Spain went head to head. Unfortunately, Spain lost in the penalty shootout after overtime, but it was a great match to watch nonetheless. For Spain to have two sports represented in respective finals matches was amazing to see since the city was fully alive throughout the evening. If only Spain could have pulled through at the end of the soccer match, but I guess you could say we win some and lose some!

To finish this quick recap, I think I’m starting to find my pace around what I’m doing and helping the organization. Today actually, I learned so much about the process in which it takes for immigrants to find jobs and be legalized to work here. Just like the U.S., Spain also has undocumented immigrants that work and organizations such as the one I’m working with has social workers and labor relations staff that attempt to find ways for these people to receive the documentation they need and work legally. Seeing and speaking with my colleague I’m shadowing, they told me that immigrant women tend to have the hardest time finding jobs, and they typically assist them more than men. We traveled to Carabaña, a small town (pueblo), which is about a little over an hour east of the city center but still in the autonomous community of Madrid and met with immigrants who lived in the area. Here, I was able to organize files/documentation as well as see in person the process in which a person working in labor relations assists those that need jobs and proper documentation.

In the meantime, here are some photos that I’ve taken recently. I’m excited to see what more I can experience 🙂

Hey everyone! There’s officially t-minus 2 days until I leave for Madrid, and I’m scrambling to get my suitcase packed and ready to go. I tend to be a procrastinator, but I’ve made efficient progress with the help of my sister! What really makes this process great too is having a sibling that is also getting ready to study abroad. It’s been an exciting process for the both of us since we plan on seeing each other once she arrives in France in August. This past semester has been filled with many fruitful conversations of what we could accomplish while abroad, and I’m so excited to be able to share this experience with her directly and indirectly. However, while planning and orienting myself for this new opportunity, I’ve made my see you later’s to many of my friends these past couple days, and I could not be more excited. It is a bit bittersweet leaving people for some time, but everyone I have talked to has been nothing but supportive for what this program entails, and I am incredibly grateful.

With just a few days left before I leave, I’ve gathered all the materials I need to enter Spain with ease and begin my journey to learning more about the country’s approach to serving their immigrant/migrant communities. Since graduation, I’ve taken some time to set some running goals of mine while I’m there. Of all of them, I wanted to emphasize the importance of having a meaningful time abroad, learning as much as I can, and enjoying my time there in the process. Since I’ve never spent an extended time away from home such as this, I want to go into this experience cultivating a joyful environment for myself and others filled with rich memories. Being able to make new connections, learn new skills, and develop an international foundation that I can bring back to the U.S. to better serve the community is what I hope to do by the end of this program.

But in all honesty, I’m pretty nervous to embark on this journey without the immediate help of other peers from home. Although I’m sure I’ll spend much of my time stepping out of my comfort zone, bettering my Spanish speaking and professional skills, and meeting new people, I still can’t help but feel some nerves diving into this. I’ve spent two summers studying abroad, but those were expertly planned experiences that I never had to worry about. Now, I’m in the shoes of the planner, and it is a bit more overwhelming than I thought it would be. Yet, I like to approach these new challenges with an “I can do this” and “nothing can stop me” mindset and tackle them head on because I won’t let hindrances add on and negate my ability to accomplish my goals. All in all, I’m incredibly excited to head on over across the pond and can’t wait to pour my experiences however I may contribute and share what I’ve learned out into this blog throughout these next 3 months! To those reading, thanks for accompanying me on this journey. 🙂